1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to computer systems coupled to a network and more particularly to a system having logic to transmit and receive transmissions across a connection to a network to provide for automatically reporting error conditions and reporting messages to users.
2. Description of Related Art
Personal computer systems are well known in the art. Personal computer systems have attained widespread use for providing computer power to many segments of modern society. Personal computers (PCS) can typically be defined as a desktop, floor standing, or portable microcomputer that includes a system unit having a single central processing unit (CPU) and associated volatile and non-volatile memory, including random access memory (RAM) and basic input-output system read only memory (BIOS ROM), a system monitor, a keyboard, one or more flexible diskette drives, a CD-ROM drive, a fixed disk storage drive (also known as a "hard drive"), a "mouse" or pointing device, and an optional network interface adapter. One of the distinguishing characteristics of these systems is the use of a motherboard or system planar to electrically or operationally connect these components together. Examples of such PCS are computer systems within IBM's PC 300 series and IBM's IntelliStation Series. The PC of the before referenced related patent documents identified in the illustration of FIG. 3 thereof and as described in the patent document specifications thereof, is an example of a typical client computer system.
With PCS being increasingly connected into networks to allow transfers of data among computers, more operations such as maintenance, updating of applications and data collections are occurring over the network. As computers are also becoming more and more essential to their users it is desirable to minimize loss of productivity by increasing the availability of PCS. This includes detection and reporting of intermittent failures on a system that will allow system administrators to schedule maintenance for the PC at a convenient time. In addition, the immediate detection and reporting of an inoperable PC is required, since it has an immediate impact to productivity. There is no reason to wait until employees arrive on the next working day to discover that the machine failed yesterday or over the weekend.
One solution to this problem has been alert technology, such as IBM's Alert on LAN technology, which supports detection and reporting of failures over a network. The alert on LAN solution creates network alerts to provide event and status information to a network administrator. The technology detects and reports events such as operating system (OS) hang, POST/BIOS error codes, or voltage and temperature problems.
When the system administrator receives error messages from a remote client, that information is used to generate a "trouble ticket." The trouble ticket contains the critical information required to set up a service call. This method is typical for systems at remote sites and at a site usually mostly available to non-skilled workers, since the service call is placed automatically.
The disadvantage to this method is that a simple error or fault can and usually does result in an expensive and time consuming service call. So often, even when the simplest of errors is not diagnosed, the system is out of commission until a service call is performed.
What is needed is an effective mechanism to automatically provide a level of support to identify, service and eliminate as many errors or malfunctions as possible, before generating a "trouble ticket" and experiencing what is normally an expensive service call.